This invention relates to systems and methods for performing backup, archive, or restore operations on data. Typically, backups are initiated automatically according to a schedule, and make copies of data found on various systems. Often, data that exists on one system may be found on other systems, and backups may include multiple copies of the same data. De-duplication systems may be used, but typically will make at least one backup copy.
Unnecessary creation of backup copies results in increased space requirements, network traffic, processing load, and larger backup windows. When a backup is performed, there is significant performance impact on a host system backing up its data, although de-duplication methods mitigate the performance impact for other hosts having copies of data that has already been backed up by the first host.
Further, when restoring data from a backup, the restore may be slowed by performance limitations of the system providing the restored data. In some cases, such as with satellite offices, the backup storage may be remotely located from the host requesting the restore, and bandwidth may be limited. Restoring several hundred gigabytes over a low-bandwidth connection could take weeks, even if 100% of the bandwidth were dedicated to the restore.
Although existing various methods provide reasonable means of protecting data, with the explosion in the amount of data being generated, the resources needed for backup, archive, and restore are rising dramatically. There is a need, therefore, for an improved method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for performing backup, archive, or restore operations on data.